Computer-implemented interface for bookings for transportation services

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of managing online bookings for transportation services inventory is provided. The computer-implemented method establishes a channel interface that provides bidirectional communication between at least one server computing device and a vendor computing device. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method stores, via a channel data structure, a channel record for each of a plurality of distribution channels. Additionally, the computer-implemented method receives, from the vendor computing device through the channel interface, a selection, from the plurality of distribution channels, of one or more participant channels for a transportation service. The computer-implemented method also establishes, via the channel data structure, one or more active channel records based upon the one or more participant channels for the transportation service. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method establishes, via the channel data structure, one or more inactive channel records based upon one or more non-participant channels for the transportation service.

We claim: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method of managing online bookings for transportation services inventory, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 establishing a channel interface that provides bidirectional communication between at least one server computing device and a vendor computing device; 
 storing, via a channel data structure, a channel record for each of a plurality of distribution channels; 
 receiving, from the vendor computing device through the channel interface, a selection, from the plurality of distribution channels, of one or more participant channels for a transportation service; 
 establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more active channel records based upon the one or more participant channels for the transportation service; 
 establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more inactive channel records based upon one or more non-participant channels for the transportation service; 
 linking the one or more active channel records to the channel interface; 
 receiving, in real time for the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, sale data corresponding to at least one or more additional vendor computing devices; 
 determining a performance indicator in real time, for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, based at least on the sale data corresponding to said at least one or more additional vendor computing devices; and 
 for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, adjusting, via the channel interface, a price of the transportation service by an adjustment factor if the performance indicator indicates a performance that fails to meet a performance threshold. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing the sale data comprises determining whether or not a supply of transportation services inventory exceeds demand or vice versa per participant channel. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more active channel records are linked to the channel interface without the one or more inactive channel records. 
     
     
       4. A computer-implemented method of managing online bookings for transportation services inventory, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 establishing a channel interface that provides bidirectional communication between at least one server computing device and a vendor computing device; 
 storing, via a channel data structure, a channel record for each of a plurality of distribution channels; 
 receiving, from the vendor computing device through the channel interface, a selection, from the plurality of distribution channels, of one or more participant channels for a transportation service; 
 establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more active channel records based upon the one or more participant channels for the transportation service; 
 establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more inactive channel records based upon one or more non-participant channels for the transportation service; 
 linking the one or more active channel records to the channel interface; 
 receiving, in real time for the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, sale data corresponding to at least one or more additional vendor computing devices; 
 determining a performance indicator in real time, for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, based at least on the sale data corresponding to said at least one or more additional vendor computing devices; and 
 for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, adjusting, via the channel interface, a price of the transportation service by an adjustment factor if the performance indicator indicates a performance that meets a performance threshold. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the processing the sale data comprises determining whether or not a supply of transportation services inventory exceeds demand or vice versa per participant channel. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more active channel records are linked to the channel interface without the one or more inactive channel records. 
     
     
       7. A computer-implemented method of managing online bookings for transportation services inventory, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 means for establishing a channel interface that provides bidirectional communication between at least one server computing device and a vendor computing device; 
 means for storing, via a channel data structure, a channel record for each of a plurality of distribution channels; 
 means for receiving, from the vendor computing device through the channel interface, a selection, from the plurality of distribution channels, of one or more participant channels for a transportation service; 
 means for establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more active channel records based upon the one or more participant channels for the transportation service; 
 means for establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more inactive channel records based upon one or more non-participant channels for the transportation service; 
 means for linking the one or more active channel records to the channel interface; 
 means for receiving, in real time for the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, sale data corresponding to at least one or more additional vendor computing devices; 
 means determining a performance indicator in real time, for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, based at least on the sale data corresponding to said at least one or more additional vendor computing devices; and 
 for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, means for adjusting, via the channel interface, a price of the transportation service by an adjustment factor if the performance indicator indicates a performance that fails to meet a performance threshold. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing the sale data comprises determining whether or not a supply of transportation services inventory exceeds demand or vice versa per participant channel. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the means for linking links the one or more active channel records to the channel interface without the one or more inactive channel records. 
     
     
       10. A computer-implemented method of managing online bookings for transportation services inventory, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 means for establishing a channel interface that provides bidirectional communication between at least one server computing device and a vendor computing device; 
 means for storing, via a channel data structure, a channel record for each of a plurality of distribution channels; 
 means for receiving, from the vendor computing device through the channel interface, a selection, from the plurality of distribution channels, of one or more participant channels for a transportation service; 
 means for establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more active channel records based upon the one or more participant channels for the transportation service; 
 means for establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more inactive channel records based upon one or more non-participant channels for the transportation service; 
 means for linking the one or more active channel records to the channel interface; 
 means for receiving, in real time for the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, sale data corresponding to at least one or more additional vendor computing devices; 
 means determining a performance indicator in real time, for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, based at least on the sale data corresponding to said at least one or more additional vendor computing devices; and 
 for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, means for adjusting, via the channel interface, a price of the transportation service by an adjustment factor if the performance indicator indicates a performance that meets a performance threshold. 
 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the processing the sale data comprises determining whether or not a supply of transportation services inventory exceeds demand or vice versa per participant channel. 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the means for linking links the one or more active channel records to the channel interface without the one or more inactive channel records.